Teenspace
September’s Virtual Teen Pride Club: Queer Latinx Voices
Posted on September 01, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of Queer Latinx Voices! Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15-October 15, and is a time to recognize and honor the histories, culture, and contributions of Hispanic or Latinx folks. We will be meeting online at 4:00 pm every Tuesday in September. New participants are always welcome! For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for the September Virtual Teen Pride Club, follow the links below:
For a complete list of September Teen Pride Club events.
Our Recommendations:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to the library catalog)
Famous Queer Latinx icons to celebrate, this month and all yearlong!
Violet Chachki
(she/her/they/them)
Drag Queen and 2015 Winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race
Rosario Dawson
(she/her)
Actress and Producer
Bianca Del Rio
(she/her)
Drag Queen and 2014 Winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race
Felicia Elizondo
(she/her)
Activist and Present at the 1966 San Francisco Compton’s Cafeteria Riot
Renee Goust
(she/they)
Singer/Songwriter
Juana Inés de la Cruz
(she/her)
Writer, Philosopher, Composer, Poet, and Hieronyite Nun
Frida Kahlo
(she/her)
Artist
Carmen Maria Machado
(she/her)
Author and 2017 Winner of the Lambda Literary Award
Ricky Martin
(he/him)
Singer/Pop Star
Melanie Martinez
(she/her)
Singer/Songwriter
Donna Personna
(she/her)
Transgender Rights Activist and Artist
Sylvia Rivera
(she/her)
Activist and Veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Inn Uprising
Michelle Rodriguez
(she/her)
Actress
José Sarria
(he/him)
First openly gay candidate for public office in the U.S., Drag Queen, and Political Activist
Kali Uchis
(she/her)
Singer/Songwriter
Stand up to Bullying!
Posted on August 12, 2021
As schools are returning to in-person learning many of you will be facing new and challenging social experiences. Having been a teenager in the age of the internet, I know that bullying happens. In fact, according to stopbullying.gov 20% of teenagers nationwide will experience some sort of bullying.
We are not meeting for Social Justice Club this month (an event we normally have on Thursday 4-5 over Zoom to discuss social issues and how teens can make a difference). However, I thought it might be fun to still address the issue of bullying through a digital escape room. If you are bored and looking to learn about how to stand up to bullying check it out here: http://sticksandstonescyberbullying.weebly.com/. Hope you enjoy it and have a great first month of school!
August’s Virtual Teen Pride Club: Self-Care
Posted on July 29, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of self-care! With school starting up again, it is important to take care of yourself and practice healthy self-care strategies. Check out this librarian compiled selection of nonfiction mental health books and queer feel-good YA books, self-care ideas, and community resources. We will be meeting online at 4:00 pm every Tuesday in August. New participants are always welcome! Attendees of this month’s Virtual Teen Pride Club will also receive a special Self-Care bundle with crafts and personalized bookmarks. For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for the August Teen Pride Club, follow the links below:
For a complete list of August Teen Pride Club events.
Mental health and queer nonfiction:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to the library catalog)
For some feel-good queer YA with happy endings, check out last month’s blog!
https://sonomalibrary.org/blogs/teenspace/julys-virtual-teen-pride
Self-Care ideas:
- Take a walk
- Meditate
- Talk to a friend
- Read a good book
- Take a nap
- Make a healthy snack or meal
- Cuddle with a pet
- Journal
- Take a break from social media/your phone
- Get some sun
- Drink water
- Get creative: write, draw, paint, dance, play music, etc.
- Stretch/do yoga
- Watch something funny (laugh!)
Community Resources:
- SAY-Social Advocates for Youth
https://www.saysc.org/ - West County Teen Clinic
https://www.wchealth.org/location/forestville-teen-clinic/ - Positive Images
https://www.posimages.org/ - Nami
https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog?categoryname=GLBT - Nami Sonoma County
https://namisonomacounty.org/your-journey/identity-and-cultural-dimensions/for-lgbtq/ - LGBTQ Connection
https://www.lgbtqconnection.org/ - Verity: Sonoma County’s Rape Crisis, Trauma, and Healing Center
https://www.ourverity.org/
Hotlines:
July’s Virtual Teen Pride Club: Queer YA Romance & Beach Reads
Posted on June 23, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of Queer YA Romance & Beach Reads! July is the height of summer, so it is time to let your mind relax and get lost in some absorbing stories. You can select books, movies, tv shows, and other media based on recommendations by librarians, or choose whatever feels beachy to you! We will be meeting online at 4:00pm every Tuesday in July. New participants are always welcome! For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for the June Teen Pride Club, follow the links below:
For a complete list of July Teen Pride Club events.
Our Recommendations:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to the library catalog)
June Social Justice Club
Posted on June 03, 2021
Social Justice Club in June
As many of you are no doubt aware, the month of June is Pride Month. We are celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community with our monthly topic discussing how far the United States has come on the road to Trans rights, how far we still have to go, and how to be an ally on the journey ahead! As always, we encourage you to read more on our topic to get a well-rounded perspective and be able to contribute to the conversation. Register for our Social Justice Club here. Below are some books, movies, and graphic novels we suggest:
(available on Hoopla and DVD)
Nothing in society today is changing more than gender terminology, from LGBTQ, gay, homosexual, transsexual, transgender and more the terminology is changing constantly. Lift the veil on the world and explore the secrets of a world most misunderstand.
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out
(also on Libby)
"Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves." -- Amazon.com, viewed February 12, 2014.
Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution
"Covering American transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to today, Transgender History takes a chronological approach to the subject of transgender history, with each chapter covering major movements, writings, and events." -- Provided by publisher.
Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight For Gay Rights
(also on Libby)
"A dramatic retelling of the Stonewall riots of 1969, introducing teen readers to the decades-long struggle for gay rights" -- Provided by publisher.
(also available on Hoopla and Libby)
"One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes both of their lives forever. If it weren't for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met." -- Amazon.com.
(also on Libby and BOCD)
Amanda Hardy only wants to fit in at her new school, but she is keeping a big secret, so when she falls for Grant, guarded Amanda finds herself yearning to share with him everything about herself, including her previous life as Andrew.
David Piper, always an outsider, forms an unlikely friendship with Leo Denton who, from the first day at his new school wants only to be invisible, but when David's deepest secret gets out, that he wants to be a girl, things get very messy for both of them.
A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities
"Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, and navigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human experience through informative comics, interviews, worksheets, and imaginative examples. A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!"--Page 4 of cover.
June's Virtual Teen Pride Club: Everything PRIDE!
Posted on May 26, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of Everything PRIDE! In the LGBTQ+ community, June is a time to celebrate and remember events such as the Stonewall Riots and the Compton Cafeteria Riot, and all other times queer people have fought for their right to lead the life they deserve. At Pride Club we celebrate our queerness year round, but we are excited to take it to the next level during June!
This month we are celebrating Pride Month with books, movies, TV shows, and other media that are about the history of pride, and also simply about loving yourself and being proud of yourself. In addition to our regular discussions, we will be doing a take and make craft and giving participating teens goodie bags with swag such as Pride flag pins, pronoun pins, and other rainbow goodness. As usual, we will be meeting online at 4:00pm every Tuesday in June. For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for the June Teen Pride Club, follow the links below:
- June 1st
- June 8th
- June 15th
- June 22nd with special guests from SAY-Social Advocates for Youth
- June 29th
For a complete list of June Teen Pride Club events.
Our Recommendations:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to the library catalog)
And, watch LGBTQ+ Documentaries for free with your library card on our movie streaming service, Kanopy!
https://sonomalibrary.kanopy.com
May’s Social Justice Club / Club de Justicia Social de mayo
Posted on April 30, 2021
May’s Social Justice Club
Every week day through Zoom from 4-5pm, the Sonoma County Library has programming for teens 13-18 and Thursdays is Social Justice Club. Social Justice Club is for teens and librarians to meet and discuss different controversial issues happening in society. Each month we pick a theme which guides our conversations. If possible we also try and schedule members of the community to talk about these issues and how our teens can make a positive impact for change. For May the topic is “mental health” and we are lucky enough to have scheduled some guest speakers. Mental health is an especially relevant topic coming out of quarantine as people are feeling more isolated than ever before and facing unusually high levels of stress. To sign up for one or all of our meetings this month register here.
May 6th, we will have guest speakers from SAY (Social Advocates for Youth). SAY will be talking about all the different counseling services they offer and giving advice on how to care for your mental health. They will also be discussing all the other services they provide free to our community’s youth.
May 13th and 20th, librarians will present other resources on mental health including practicing self-care, suicide prevention, books and media discussing mental health, and how to handle stress.
May 27th, we will have a guest instructor, Ozlem, to teach meditation and mindfulness. We regularly hire Ozlem to teach yoga and meditation and she will be back Mondays during the Summer Reading Program to teach our Mindfulness Mondays for teens.
Club de Justicia Social de mayo
De lunes a viernes a las 4pm-5pm, la Biblioteca del Condado de Sonoma ofrece eventos virtuales para adolescentes que tienen 13 a 18 años. Los jueves son del Club de Justicia Social en la cual adolescentes y bibliotecari@s reunen a conversar sobre temas controversiales sucediendo en la sociedad. Cada mes elegimos un tema que nos guiará las conversaciones. Si sea posible, también intentamos invitar miembr@s de la comunidad a platicar sobre los temas y cómo los adolescentes pueden hacer impactos positivos para efectuar el cambio. Este mayo, el tema es la salud mental y tenemos suerte de haber confirmado la asistencia de unos oradores invitados. La salud mental es un tema especialmente relevante mientras salimos de cuarentena y podamos sentirnos más aislados que nunca además que llevar altos niveles de estrés poco usuales. Regístrate aquí para una o todas las citas de este mes.
El 6 de mayo tendremos oradores invitados de SAY (Social Advocates for Youth «Promotores sociales para los adolescentes»). Hablarán de los servicios de consejería que ofrece SAY y te darán consejos para cuidar tu salud mental. También platicarán de los otros servicios que proveen gratis a los adolescentes de nuestra comunidad.
El 13 y 20 de mayo, bibliotecari@s presentarán otros recursos para la salud mental, incluyendo prácticas de cuidados personales, prevención del suicidio, libros y otros materiales sobre la salud mental, y cómo manejar el estrés.
El 27 de mayo asistirá instructora invitada, Ozlem, que nos enseñará meditación y la conciencia plena. La biblioteca contrata a Ozlem con regularidad a enseñar yoga y meditación y ella regresará los lunes durante el Programa de Lectura de Verano para enseñar Yoga Lunes consciente para adolescentes.
May’s Virtual Teen Pride Club: Queer Memoirs and Personal Essays
Posted on April 21, 2021
Our Virtual Pride Club for Teens ages 13-18 continues this month with the theme of Queer memoirs and personal essays! You can select a book, movie, TV show, or other media that fits the theme based on recommendations by librarians or choose your own!
We will be meeting online at 4:00pm every Tuesday in May. For more information, email teenpride@sonomalibrary.org.
To register for the May Teen Pride Club, follow the links below:
For a complete list of May Teen Pride Club events.
Our Recommendations:
(Hint: click on the book covers to go to the library catalog)
Nothing About Us Film Screening
Posted on April 19, 2021
Although it has been nearly 67 years since Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional, schools in the United States are still deeply segregated and unequally funded. According to a 2019 study by the non-profit EdBuild, "predominantly white school districts get $23 billion more than their nonwhite peers, despite serving a similar number of children."
To raise awareness about this issue, high school students with the Epic Theatre Ensemble in New York City have created an educational show and film called Nothing About Us, which discusses segregation and racism in schools today. They are partnering with The National Coalition on School Diversity and Dodd Human Rights Impact to organize film screenings and community discussions in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and the Virgin Islands. These discussions will culminate in a national event on May 17, 2021, the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.
Sonoma County Library will participate by hosting a local virtual screening of Nothing About Us on Saturday, May 1 at 4pm.
The film screening will be followed by a community conversation about racism and segregation in high schools facilitated by teens from the Epic Theatre Ensemble. This event is open to all ages. We strongly encourage teens, educators, administrators, and parents to join the conversation! Spanish interpretation will be available.
Please register to reserve your spot and receive the Zoom link.
To view the trailer for Nothing About Us, visit: https://youtu.be/9jeEaSrrAzY
A local representative will be elected to share out our community’s thoughts during The Fifty State Conversation on May 17. Register for the national event at: www.epictheatreensemble.org/fifty/
April’s Virtual Pride Club: Musician Michael Mwenso
Posted on April 09, 2021
Join us on April 20 at 4 pm for a special session of Virtual Pride Club for Teens featuring musician, artist, and social commentator Michael Mwenso of the band Mwenso & The Shakes. Michael will be joining us to talk about his experiences as a Black LGBTQ+ musician.
Recently, Mwenso partnered with Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center to present his five-part online Black Music Series offering his unique and ancestral perspective on Black music as an African-born queer man growing up in London and New York.
Mwenso will be visiting us at Virtual Pride Club to have a small and personal group dialogue about music, identity, and changing the world. This particular session will be a unique opportunity to ask questions and share ideas with a world-class musician!
For ages 12-18.
To register, please visit: Michael Mwenso of the band Mwenso & The Shakes
Experience the music of Mwenso and the Shakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQwaEp0KwPU
Virtual Pride Club for Teens is a weekly club to discuss books and other media that showcase queer voices and experiences. Each month there will be a different theme. You can select books or other media that fit that theme based on recommendations by librarians or choose your own. This club is a great way to make friends, foster community building, and discover queer media all at the same time!
